mp3: E Progression
wma: E Progression

Time/size: 4 mins 32 secs/6.4mb. 100 beats per minute/bpm

Rock backing track: This is a laid back rock backing track in the key of E.

Backing track instruments: electric guitar, fretless bass and drums.

Progression: The chords used for this backing track are E, A and B barre chords throughout, making it a standard I, IV, V progression.

Suggestions: Start by using the E Major pentatonic scale over the entire progression. Below is the guitar tab for this scale in both 6th and 9th position. Note that 6th position means that you have your index finger on the 6th fret. Similarly, 9th position means that you have your index finger on the 9th fret.

The notes in brackets on the 6th (low E) string are the 5th and 6th root of the E Major scale. To start playing the scale from the root note E, you would start playing from the 7th fret on the 5th (A) string. The note in brackets at the 12th fret on the 1st (high E) string is the note E, 2 octaves up from the E on the 5th string. To play the note at the 12 fret you have to shift from 6th to 9th position.

The E Major pentatonic scale in 9th position is shown in the 2nd diagram. The note in brackets on the low E (6th) string is the 6th degree, or note (C#) in the E Major scale. If you want to start playing the scale from the root note from 9th position then you would play the note on the 12th fret of the 6th string. If you then play up the entire scale shown in the 2nd diagram you'd be playing 2 whole octaves of the E Major pentatonic scale.